LILL is a two-stage direct drive single RCR-123A flashlight running a 3W "Luxeon" on a generic star (no name silkscreened).
I had a couple different ways I was considering installing the Cree XR-E, and decided direct emitter replacement on the stock star would be the least painful. (I have some sandwich shoppe rev 2 boards, maybe next time.)
Using desoldering wick, I removed the solder and lifted the tails on the stock emitter. With a small twist the stock thermal epoxy left go.
After scraping off the old thermal epoxy, I re-tinned the star pad. But since this pad sucks up heat so fast, I decided not to solder the Cree down (good thing, because I needed to reposition it later!) Instead, I used a dab of Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound (from the sandwich shoppe). It must be working good, because the flashlight body warms up fast.
I took a piece of kapton tape to hold down the emitter, but to avoid ripping off the lens I put another piece of kapton tape adhesive-to-adhesive where the emitter is, so it just saw kapton, no adhesive.
I reflow soldered the emitter into place. Dropped a battery in, and tested it candle mode. Works great!! I'm consuming 350-750 mA for the two modes.
Put the reflector on, and since the reflector didn't go down as far as it did on the stock emitter, some mod was in order. Instead of finding a way to raise the emitter higher, I shaved the plastic reflector lower and lower until I got spot focus.
Now it's reassembled. It really throws! But the dreaded dark ring is around the hot spot. Not too much of an issue when you take it outside and light up houses down the street!
I had a couple different ways I was considering installing the Cree XR-E, and decided direct emitter replacement on the stock star would be the least painful. (I have some sandwich shoppe rev 2 boards, maybe next time.)
Using desoldering wick, I removed the solder and lifted the tails on the stock emitter. With a small twist the stock thermal epoxy left go.
After scraping off the old thermal epoxy, I re-tinned the star pad. But since this pad sucks up heat so fast, I decided not to solder the Cree down (good thing, because I needed to reposition it later!) Instead, I used a dab of Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound (from the sandwich shoppe). It must be working good, because the flashlight body warms up fast.
I took a piece of kapton tape to hold down the emitter, but to avoid ripping off the lens I put another piece of kapton tape adhesive-to-adhesive where the emitter is, so it just saw kapton, no adhesive.
I reflow soldered the emitter into place. Dropped a battery in, and tested it candle mode. Works great!! I'm consuming 350-750 mA for the two modes.
Put the reflector on, and since the reflector didn't go down as far as it did on the stock emitter, some mod was in order. Instead of finding a way to raise the emitter higher, I shaved the plastic reflector lower and lower until I got spot focus.
Now it's reassembled. It really throws! But the dreaded dark ring is around the hot spot. Not too much of an issue when you take it outside and light up houses down the street!